Ejection device



J. l. ACKERMAN, JR., ETAL EJECTION DEVICE Filed July 29, 1957 July 29,v195s- Iliff! lvifrrlrlnnfr I l, ,As 247'/ ew. S Y e m n mbv, wmf-w .ASDA MEW. wam a. wmf 2. NCW AH..D M RWM mm WMS V. CM B J JosephIchermam'Jr., Arlington, Mass., lPhillip B. Ed-

r closure lseal of a body is" ruptured in4 response to theV pressureygenerated by the combustion of a small propellant charge within the bodywithout physical damage to 'otherY United Se@ Patent' 0 vThis inventionrelates to adevice for ejecting a missile ,ormaterialfrom a bodyundercontrol of a smallexplosive v chargeand more particularly toa 4deviceelmployedkfor signalling'purposes in thejeld of military pyrotechnics inwhich a body is released for ejection when a strong components carriedinteriorly by the body.'

In certain types of militaryfclevices and particularly thoseemployed.for signalling purposes ithas been found e device of ithe instantinvention according to a preferred 'force' within the device, the devicecomprising a casing preferably cylindrical in configuration andrthreadedlnteriorly at the ends thereof. A plug 11having abore 121 v slidingmovementk wlthin plug 11. An OA-rmgvl? ils d1sl f polsedlwithin acomplementary circular groove formed on n necessary'to forcibly remove.a cover such, for example, v

as aprojectile nose or ay torpedo nosev while under water or any vothertype of` missile nose by explosive means without damage to shock or'heatsensitive inner com-l ponentsy of the type relating to radio, radar,explosives.

.y or pyrotechnics or any sensitive devices or materials carriedinteriorly 'byy the militaryv devices or missile. It

` has also been found to be highly desirableto provide a relativelylarge opening establishing communicationl be` tween the interior andtheexterior of the missile or casingl whenthe cover has been removedthrough which an inner.

. component may bel subsequently ejected or through which response'to asmall explosive force from within the casingy a' pyrotechnic smoke orare may burn.v Themanner apparent as therdes'cription proceeds.`

One of the objects of the present invention is to prof vide anrejectiond evice for a military application in which the release of thedevice istriggered .in response to a small explosive force within the device. i

which this result is achieved will` be more` clearly Another object isthe 'provision of explosively controlled'vv means `forremoving a coverfrom a casing thereby to vent the casing, for subsequent operation ofheat sensitive materials fdisposed within the casing without damage 3tosuch materials.' j v vAfurth'er object is the provision of new andimproved means for unsealing Athe casing of a signalling device inwithout' injury or' damage to highly sensitive signalling componentsdisposed within the casing.

, A stillr further object is tok provide a new and improved "55explosively controlled ejecting mechanism for a signalling` device inwhich there is no possibility of premature actuation of the signal as'the result of the force ofthe explosion and in' which means'areprovided,l forpreventing frag nientizration,` of the device in the eventthat. the ejectable component 'thereof Should explode or detonate beforebeing lcompletely ejected. l f.

A still furtherobjectis to provide a new and improved ejection devicefora militaryj component which is economical to manufacture andpossesses the desirable l "qualities `of ruggedness, 'simplicity andreliabilityl in operation. f v Still .other objects, advantages andimprovements will be' apparent'from the following description takenincon` nection with the accompanying drawing of which:

.Fig. vvlisa longitudinal view in section of the ejection embodimentthereof; d ,Y .e r Fig. 2 is a View taken along the line 2-2fofF1g. 1;,and AFig. 3 is a fragmentary View in Ysection of the' arming mechanismwith the arming memberin an armed position.

`Referring now to the drawing on which like lnumerals of v'reference areemployed to designate like parts throughout the `several views andmoreparticularly torFig 1 `thereof there is shown` thereon a deviceforiejecting a.

component therefrom in response to a small ,explosive formed axiallytherein and a pair of boresr13v andif14l formed coaxially `therewith 'isthreaded .into one end of.

the casing 10 as at 15. One end of a rod 16'is'wslideab1y disposedwithin the bore v12 and notched as shownto be releasably engaged byacomplementary notch` formed in` p'ull rod 17.. Rod 17 is provided withan enlargedfcylill-y d rical portion 18 disposed'withiri bore 14 andadapted for portion 18 of the rod to effect a water tight sliding sealbetween the rod and plug 11. gasketor `sealj21is preferably provided toprovide ajseat forlimiting they inwardvmovemrent of the pull rod 17. The,rodf17 is normally locked in the positionrshown'on Fig/l by a cottervpin 22 or the like'having a kpull;ring 23 secured thereto. VA secondpull ring 24 is secured tojvlthe pull rod'at the'I portion projectingoutwardly beyondplug 11,

, abore 25preferably' being provided for'this purpose.

A''member 26is Aslideably arranged withinbore 27 offplug 11 and urgedagainst rod -16 by spring I28 and plug 29,A whereby'bore 12 isclosedlbytheme'mber 26 vw'lienr'oc`-16 has been expelledtherefromljThefi-od 16'is yieldablynrged to the left as viewedonthedraw-y i ing `byfspringSl having one end thereof disposed withinbore`-13 and the other end secured to rod 16 arsby al cotter pin 32and'washer 33 illustrated.

. ,Threaded rwithin the other end of the casing l10 asiat 3.4 isasupport block 35 having a boreV 36concentrically formed therein and abore 37 of greater diameter forming ajshoulder 38' therebetween. A-Atiibular member 39 an'ged-.at 141 vforengagement with shoulder 38 isdisposed,

within bore" 36. The opposite end of the tubular memberisrilangedqinwardly at 42 for engagement withthe Iendy offspring 43disposedwithin the tubular member;

An opening E44 ofl substantially the same diameter as "the inside,ldiameter :of spring 43 is thus formed in tubular member` 39;"t "Acircular main support yblock indicatedJ generallyby the numeral 45-comprises a lcircular ange 46' slideably disposed withinvbore 37"`and ashoulder 47v rfor engagement lwith the other end of vspring 43 when thesupport block is in the position shown on` the drawing..

'Acircularl cam element 48 encircling the block 45 in engagement withflange 46 is employed to'retain the block in the lposition shown against-the tension of spring 4 32until balls .49 are unlocked and moved'outwardly withinradial bores. 51 formed within the support block 35. 5Disposed within a recess 52yformed transversely. within block ,62 is anarming member 53 having a .closed bore 54.formed therein adapted toreceive the rodl 16 at an endportion 55 thereof of reduced diameter.Ther I rod '16 Vis disposed for sliding movement within a bearf ing 15.6formed within the support block 45v`substantiallyv asshow'n. An annulartapered cam member 57 is threaded on the rodY 16 adjacent end portionV55 thereon for coaction with a protruding portion 58`of lever`59 pivotedat 61 to member 62 carried within the bore 63 of member 45 f andprovided withan aperture 64 within which end .portion 55 of rod 16 isslidablyvdisposed Y IThe/otherv end'l of 'lever 59 is formed as at 65fotelbA gagement with a complementary surface on arming member -"53whereby the arming niinemberis moved to an armed position as viewed onthe drawing with bore 66 thereof in alignment with the ringpin carriedby the end portion 55 of rod 16. A percussion'cap 67 is carried by thebore 66 for ring by the tiring pin when the arming-member is in thearmed position. A circular member 68 hereinafter referred to as theexpelling charge block is threaded within the support block 45substantially as shown and provided with three axial bores 69, 71 and 72of progressively increasing diameter in the order named. An explosivetrain 73 is formed within bore 69 and bore 71 is iilled with anexplosive 74, preferably of the propellant type and retained therein bya thin sheet 75 composed of material suitable for the purpose, such`forexample, as cloth and retained by ring 76 fitted within bore 72.

The end of the support block 35 is normally closed by a plate-77releasably secured thereto by a plurality of push pins 78 pressed intobores 79 formed within the support block 35, a suitable gasket 81preferably being disposed therebetween. The plate 77 is provided with asmall aperture 82 in communication with a larger aperture 83 formedwithin the gasket 81. Pins 78, it will be noted, are disposed within thepath of movement of balls 49 in such manner that the balls are retainedin contact with the conical surface of cam element 48 until the pins arewithdrawn.

A circular sleeve member 84 is disposed within casing in abuttingengagement with an end surface 85 formed on support block 35, the otherend of sleeve 84 being engaged by washer 86 made of a material somewhatcompressible. Washer 86 is arranged in face adjacency with a metallicwasher 87 on the other side of which is preferably'another washer 88 ofmaterial somewhat compressible. `Disposed within the casing 10 is aquantity of pyrotechnic material 89 such, for example, as smokecomposition material having a bore therein within which the rod 16 isadapted to move. The composition 89 is thus enclosed within a chamber 91formed within the casing 10 by compressible washers 88 and 92 backed bywasher 93 against an end surface of plug 11. The pyrotechnic material 89may be ignited by any suitable means, not shown, after the body has beenexpelled from casing 10 by spring 43, the particular composition ofmaterial 89 forming no part of the instant invention.

The operation of the device will now be described. Let it be assumed, byway of example, that the signalling device is to be used on the deck ofa submarine and that the device is in the condition shown on Fig. l. Pin22 is withdrawn by ring 23 thereby freeing rod 17 for movement; Ring 24is now withdrawn to a position such that an end portion of rod 16 isbrought into bore 14. When this occurs rod 16 is quickly disengaged frompull rod 17 and the propellant charge 74 is ignited in the followingmanner. As rod 16 is withdrawn from an initial position of rest by ring24, lever 59 is rocked about its bearing'61 by cammember 57 suicientlyto move arming member' 53 to the armed position, Fig. 3. The length ofthe portion-55 of rod` 16 is such that this portion of the rod iswithdrawn from bore 54 within the arming member just prior to actuationof lever 59. An arrangement is thus provided in which the arming memberis moved by positive action in response to outward movement of rod 16 asring 24 is pulled outwardly. Disengagement of'rods 16 and 17 causes thering pin to impinge on percussion cap 67 with a force suicient to tirethecap and cause combustion of the propellant within bore 71.-` Whenthis occurs the pressure Within bore 71 is suicient to dislodge'plate 77from the initial position -thereof suiciently to withdraw pins 78 fromtheir bores and .thereby releaseballs 49. Balls 49 now move outwardlythrough their bores in response to pressure of cam element 48ther'eagainst. Whenthe balls have movedfoutwardlysuicient ,to unlockVthe support 'A'. block 45, the block is quickly ejected from casing 10by'spring 43 carrying with it'the expelling charge block, rod 16 andgasket 81. The casing 10 is now unsealed whereby an opening of generoussize is provided for the emmission of smoke or other pyrotechnicdisposed within chamber 91.

One desirable feature `of support block 45 is the internal air spacewhich acts as a safety chamber by holding back the hot gases resultingfrom the ring of primer 67 and thus'protecting the heat sensitivecomponent or composition 91.

For the same reason a preferred improvement is to use for the ignitiontrain composition 73 a readily ignitable gasless plug formingcomposition, which composition being essentially of the type, whichWhile burning and hot forms a structurally cohesive mass capable ofwithstanding immediate gas pressure. Such compositions are known tothose skilled in the art. In this manner it has been possible to preventalso any of the hot gases resulting from the functioning of theexpelling charge 74 from reaching the heat sensitive component 91.

Whereas the device has been described with particularity with referenceto an ejectable component comprising an expelling charge block, it isnot so limited as it may be used with advantage to expel a rocket, ifdesired, and thereafter cause a large volume of smoke to be issued fromthe aperture within the casing which is made effective for such purposewhen the rocket has been ejected. Furthermore in the case of such asignal during ejection, the combined burning of the expelling charge andthe material comprising the rocket motor propellant results in aconsiderable back pressure with much heat and flame and this heat andpressure is prevented from igniting the smoke mixture until the rockethas been ejected and a suciently large -orice has been effected to allowproper venting of the smoke thereby to avoid the detonation andresultant shrapnel effect which would be most harmful to personnelwithin the vicinity of the device. If in lieu of the smoke compositionit is desired to cause a flame to be emitted from the casing, suchstructure is within the purview of the instant invention. By employingthe structure disclosed herein, a great ejection or rupture force mayoccur on one side of the device without harming highly sensitivecomponents disposed on the other side. The term sensitive components asemployed herein may be defined as any assembly or materials which cannotbe subjected to much heat, pressure, shock or strain without damage orpossible premature detonation.

Whereas the invention has been described with particularity withreference. to a specic example which gives satisfactory results, it isnot so limited as it will be understood by those skilled in the art,after understanding the invention, that various changes andmodifications may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention and it is our intention, therefore in the appended claimsto cover all such changes and modiiications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1. A signalling device of the character disclosed comprising a tubularcasing having a quantity of smoke signalling material disposed therein,a main support block threaded within one end of said casing and having abore concentrically formed therein, a circular plate enclosing the outerend of said support block and detachably secured thereto, an expelling`block assembly releasably locked within said support block and havingan explosive lled chamber formed in one end thereof in communicationwith an inside surface of said plate, means including a plurality ofballs controlled by said plate for locking the expelling block assemblyWithin said bore until the plate has been detached, means including aresilient spring for expelling the expelling -block assembly from saidbore as the block assembly is unlocked, and manipulative means fortiring said explosive thereby to suddently detach the plate from saidmain `support blocky and Vcause the expelling block to be ejected fromsaid main support block and thus provide an egress for said smokesignalling material.

' 2, A'signalling device according to claim lincluding a tiring pin, arod carrying said pin, means for withdrawing said rod from an initialposition to a ring position and suddenly releasing the rod, an armingmember disposed within said support block and removable from a safeposition to an armed position, means including a circular cam on saidrod for moving the arming member to said armed position as the rod iswithdrawn, a percussion cap carried by said arming member and movable toa position in alignment with the firing pin when the arming member ismoved to said armed position, and means for causing the firing pin tostrike the percussion cap with suflicient force to re the cap andthereby ignite said explosive as the rod returns to said initialposition.

' 3. A device according to claim 2 including a plug y'threaded intheother end of said casing and having an axial bore therein withinwhich said rod is slidably disposed, and means in said plug for sealingsaid last-named bore when therod has been withdrawn therefrom thereby toprevent the issuance of said smoke signalling material through the plugafter the expelling block assembly has been expelled.

4. A signalling device of the character disclosed for ejecting acomponent thereof in response to a small explosive force within. thedevice lcomprising a cylindrical casing, a plug sealing one end of saidcasing, a circular plate, a plurality of push pins for releasablysecuring the plate to the other end of said casing, a block memberhaving an explosive lled cavity therein releasably locked within saidcasing with the cavity oppositethe inner suring therein in which thepull rod `is slidably'arranged, and

means including a plunger slidably disposed within a transverse lborewithin said plug for sealing the bearing when said pull rod has beenexpelled.

7. In a device of the 'character disclosed for removing a cover Whileunder Water, the combination of a cylindrical casinghaving a sensitivecomponent therein, a plug having a bore therein and sealing one end ofsaid casing, a baille member having a central circular aperture thereinarranged transversely within said casing, said plug and-baie memberforming a chamber within which the sensitive component is arranged, acylindrical main support block threaded within the other end of saidcasing, an annular spacingmember in engagement with said block at aninner transverse surface thereof for maintaining said baille member inlixed position withface of said plate, means including a helical springfor forcibly ejecting said block member when the member casing andmovable Afrom an initial safe position to an armed position, an ignitercarried by said arming member and movable `into an operative positionwith respect to said exposive when'the .arming member is moved to saidarmed position, a pivoted lever having one' end thereof in engagementwithy said arming member for vmoving the arming member to said armedposition as the lever member as the plate is det-ached from the casingin response to the iiringof said explosive whereby the block member andpull rod are suddenly ejected from casing by said spring.

5. 1A signalling device according to claim 4 in which said . said pullrod comprises a releasable portion effective to suddenly release the rodwhen the rod has been moved to a liring position, said rod being ejectedsimultaneously l'with 'said block member.

6. A device according to claim 5 including a plug se- `is unlocked, anarming member disposed within vsaid in said casing, a plurality ofradial bores arranged circumferentially within said block, a pluralityof locking balls slidably carried within vsaid bores respectively, ak

plurality of longitudinal bores within said block intersecting saidradial bores, a plate for sealing the outer end of said block, aplurality of push pins carried `by said plate for frictional engagementwith said longitudinal bores to hold the plate detachably secured insealing relation with said block, the pins additionally maintaining theballs in an .inner locking position, an expelling block assemblyslidably tted within said main support block and having a circularinclined cam surface for engagement by said balls when the balls are insaid inner locking position vthereby to releasably lock theexpellingblock assembly within said main support block, a cuplike elongatedspring retaining member secured to said rnain support block with respectto which said expelling block assembly is slidable, said cup-like memberhaving an aperture formed in the bottom surface thereof of greaterdiameter than the aperture in said baille member, p

a helical spring disposed within said spring retaining member forejecting said expelling block assembly when the balls are unlocked inresponse to removal of said push pins from said longitudinal bores assaid plate is detached from said main support block,.an explosive lledVchamber formed within said expelling block assembly in substantialabutting relation with an inner surface of said plate, a slidable armingmember disposed within said expelling block assembly and carrying aninitiator, a pull rod supported for reciprocal sliding movement by saidexpelling block assembly and `by the bore in said plug,

means including a tapered cam surface on said rod for moving said armingmember to the armed position as the rod is withdrawn to a ring position,means for suddenly releasing the pull rod when the pull rod has f beenmoved to said tiring position, a firing pin formed on the end of saidpull rod, and means for yieldably urging said rod in a reverse directionfrom said tiring positiony to a red position such that the initiator isred by said tiring pin to explode the explosive and quickly 'detach saidplate in response to the force of the explosion without damage or injuryto said sensitive component.

No references cited'.

